Written evidence from Dr Christian Puritz [HAB0135]

Re cohabitation v marriage

Marriage involves a solemn public commitment of a couple to each other for life; far more stable than cohabitation.

Much better for the children: I’ve read that around 50% of children of unmarried couples experience parental separation by the age of 5, as against 15% of children whose parents were married.

Giving cohabiting couples same rights as  married couples would encourage couples to cohabit without marriage, resulting in more of the instability mentioned above.

July 2021